Educated in Greece, Cyprian was appointed by Constantinople to be metropolitan of Kiev and Lithuania in 1375 and then of Moscow in 1381. In 1382 Cyprian was forced into exile by the prince of Moscow, Dmitry, who rejected all appointments made by Constantinople. Eight years later, following the succession of Dmitry’s son, Vasily I, Cyprian resumed his position.

Cyprian introduced Byzantineliturgical reforms into the Russian Orthodox church: he replaced the old Russian format of prayer and chanting in the church, called the Rule of the Studion, with a new format, the Rule of Jerusalem, or of St. Savvas. He also introduced into Russia new versions of liturgical books that were then being used in Constantinople.